Conaway: Competitive Senate race could impact Democratic turnout

With midterm elections less than two months away, U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway thinks fellow Texas Republicans are taking seriously their runs for office. He said it’s possible for the Senate contest between incumbent Ted Cruz and Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke to make a difference for down-ballot candidates.

With midterm elections less than two months away, U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway thinks fellow Texas Republicans are taking seriously their runs for office. He said it’s possible for the Senate contest between

With midterm elections less than two months away, U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway thinks fellow Texas Republicans are taking seriously their runs for office. He said it’s possible for the Senate contest between incumbent Ted Cruz and Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke to make a difference for down-ballot candidates.

With midterm elections less than two months away, U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway thinks fellow Texas Republicans are taking seriously their runs for office. He said it’s possible for the Senate contest between

With midterm elections less than two months away, U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway thinks fellow Texas Republicans are taking seriously their runs for office. He said it’s possible for the Senate contest between incumbent Ted Cruz and Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke to make a difference for down-ballot candidates.

“It could have an impact there — where the races are tighter — to have a more energetic Democratic turnout than might have otherwise been the case had we not had that competitive statewide race with Beto and Ted,” Conaway told the Reporter-Telegram last month.

Polls have shown O’Rourke, an El Paso congressman, is less than 10 points behind his opponent. His campaign reports outraising Cruz during the last five reporting periods, without taking money from political action committees.

No Democrat has won a statewide race in Texas in more than two decades. In his bid, O’Rourke has traveled across the state to share his message with voters.

“He’s going off in 254 counties and all this kind of stuff,” Conaway said. “But hopefully we are really focused on what he stands for, how he’s voted in the House.”

The Midland representative thinks Cruz in the upcoming months will distinguish himself and his plans for the state. He believes the incumbent ultimately will win the Senate seat.

Conaway doesn’t think the down-ballot effect will make a difference in Texas’ 11th Congressional District, which he has represented for seven terms. He will face Democrat Jennie Lou Leeder of Llano in November.

Conaway said other Republicans in the state face competitive elections this fall. U.S. Reps. John Carter, John Culberson, Will Hurd and Pete Sessions — some of whom serve districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton won in the 2016 presidential election — are vying to keep their seats.

“The folks whose names are on the ballot understand how serious this is,” Conaway said. “The four guys I mentioned are going at it hammer and tong.”

At the polls, Conaway thinks supporters of President Donald Trump will back GOP candidates to avoid turnover in Congress in the midst of talks about possible investigations and impeachment.

“I think the Trump voter who may not be particularly interested necessarily in voting for Republicans will vote to protect their guy,” the congressman said.

Conaway thinks another factor affecting midterms will be the economy. The national unemployment rate in August was 3.9 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Though the party controlling the White House often loses congressional seats in midterm elections, the Midland lawmaker pointed out that situation didn’t happen in 1998 under former President Bill Clinton. Conaway said the economy was doing well at that time, as it is now.

“Starting in January, we began to understand that this is a tough election season,” Conaway said. “But the economy is… good — a 4.2 growth rate in the second quarter, job satisfaction at the highest since 2005.”